www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization Are our Churches open to converts?

Friends,

This is an odd question coming from me I know. I've been received with open arms. I've never felt anything but welcomed. We have a wonderful parish and I've met so many wonderful people from across our archeparchy that I can't imagine that converts would not be welcome. However, one must ask, "If my experience was universal why aren't we growing?"

I did get a series of nasty pm's just recently which invited me to leave the Church. They were all from the same person, and it really doesn't matter who sent them, but I wonder if that person's attitude keeps people away from some of our Churches. I wonder if that kind of pharisaical attitude is wide spread. You know, "I don't really want this faith. It's a real burden to me. But I resent anyone who might come share it." That kind of attitude.

Again, I've never experienced this kind of attitude in our Church before and it is from someone who doesn't know me and I don't know him outside of this forum.

I should add that Bishop John seems to be really enthusiastic about evangelization. I pray that his enthusiasm is infectious.

Dan Lauffer

Dan:

You are growing! You are exporting your evangelization efforts within the eparchy where they need to be directed. What better example would we have?

Mostly recently you visited us at St. Athanasius and validated our direction, encouraged our enthusiasm and will whisper to His Grace, Bishop John with the roar of a lion.

God will bless you many times for being the instrument which helped build His Holy Temple!

Thank you Dan!
Scott

Greetings, Dan.

Unfortunately, you will experience those ugly and immature and un-Christian behaviours in all of the traditions and Churches. All you can do is pray that God's Grace will flood those people so that they will begin loving their brothers and sisters just as Christ loves us.

Other than some unpleasant online encounters, my experience in Eastern Churches have been very warm and loving. I have been to 3 Ruthenian Byzantine Churches, 1 Ruthenian Byzantine Monastery, 1 Maronite Church, 1 Melkite Greek Church, and 1 Syro-Malabar Church. All of them have been wonderful. All of them have been very accepting!

This has been my personal experience here in Southern California. I don't know what my experience will be if I travel to other states. I suppose I'll find out some day.

My overall opinion of Byzantines is very positive. I love my fellow Byzantines!

As far as why we aren't growing ... if more people would invite their friends and other family members to Divine Liturgy, that would bring our numbers up but I don't know if many of us are doing that. Then there are those who visit but are not really attracted to our tradition. They might prefer the western traditions. I've heard some people say that. Ah well ... I'm happy and grateful to be Ruthenian Byzantine!

Friends,

Yes,I've never been so warmly greeted in any Church as I have in the BC Churches. This is as true here in Homer Glen, Ill. as it is in the Indiana and Michigan parishes I've visited.

I have noticed that not everyone who comes loves our liturgy as much as I would expect. I have about 150 of my students each year come to Divine Liturgy. A few come back for a second visit but no one has yet joined.

I don't understand it but as you say I love the Byzantine Church.

Dan Lauffer

Dear Dan,
Two thoughts for your this morning. First, if you've been getting a barrage of negative messages from the same person, the perpetrator is probably a head case whom one might remember in prayer but should otherwise ignore. Second, it is hardly news that different Churches appeal to different people (I have no wish to be a Quaker, but I will gladly acknowledge that the Society of Friends includes some highly intelligent people who do not lack good taste).
Aside from that, take heart and keep up the good work!
Incognitus

Incognitus,

Thanks for the good advice. I doubt that anyone could dissuade me from this Church. Our decision came after years of thought and prayer. After making the move we wondered why we so slow of understanding.

I think the fellow who seems to be irritated with me is probably a fine person. I think he got some notion about something I said a few weeks ago and he can't get it out of his mind. I will indeed pray for him.

Dan L

In our Ukranian parish we have former Protestants, an African-American couple, and some of us Polaks. I think if more people were aware of the Byzantine tradition we would have more people. Perhaps this site will help.

Dan,

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Hope all is well.

The Byzantine Catholic Church needs to launch a comprehensive public relations (PR) campaign. PR is usually free.

Folks won't join a church they know nothing about. We need to educate them first. We need to build awareness with PR and then follow up with evangelization in the footsteps of the apostles.

John, a sinner

John,

We're certainly making a name for ourselves in our area. Did you hear the lady give her testimony during brunch? She was reared in the house at the location at which our Church now exists. She now lives in the area and is coming to our Church.

I think everyone of our churches could get booths at Chamber of Commerce fairs or county fairs. We could join various civic organizations. We could go door to door passing out pamphlets. We could get involved with community projects. There are all sorts of ways to introduce ourselves. We could print a quarterly mailer. Besides each of us could invite our co-workers and unsaved family members.

dan l

Ya know,

As a convert myself, I have said many times that I came to the Byzantine Church 'cause the Holy Spirit dragged me there kicking and screaming. I stayed because someone said "hello."

With that in mind, I consider it my holy obligation to be sure that strangers are welcomed. It doesn't take a committee (tho' it's nice if you have one). It just takes US, being willing to step out of ourselves long enough to welcome folks home and make them glad they came.

I know that for a very few unhappy people, I will never be "nash." That really isn't my problem - I grew up Jewish, and to me, a nash is a nibble or a light snack. I am not a nibble or a light snack, and I am acutely aware that souls are infinitely precious.

Cheers,

SHaron

Sharon,

We've both shared pieces of our conversion testimony before but perhaps it would be good to do it again. What obstacles did you face, both internal and external, to conversion?

My wife and I were both happy to leave Protestantism. That was not a problem, but I had to consider how I'd make a living. I knew God was calling us out but to what? I don't know the full answer yet.

I was ready for either Orthodoxy or Catholicism, though after some exploration we both had some hesistancy about Roman Catholicism. Mass looked too much like a typical United Methodist service. We also had some hesitancy about Orthodoxy because of its stubborness over the papacy. I do agree that some of what they object to has merit but there must be some way, I believed, to honor the Pope without groveling.

Then we walked into the BC Church. I knew we were home, though my wife was somewhat hesitant. The hurtful memories of 27 years of Protestant ministry still linger. But a year after I was Chrismated so was she.

Dan Lauffer

Dan,

Please forgive me - it's a crazy day. Suffice to say, I never ran into a problem at my home parish, and my major issue was that I was pretty well in the closet with my nice Jewish relatives for a long time.


SHaron

Gaudior, veering marginally off topic...would like to interject a thought...

Last night, I was visiting a Coptic Orthodox Parish I had been to once before for a Vespers service. This service was designated Pan-Orthodox, and consequently the parish was aware that many visitors were not Oriental Orthodox. (A Ukrainian Orthodox priest gave a most wonderful talk after).

From the beginning of the time we walked in, we were quietly welcomed, and noticed that several people in the parish were helping those coming in find which of the several service books they were using (bi-lingual service) and then later when they switched, again, the same thing. Just quietly, and helpfully, and with a smile.

Later, in trapeza, we were served a wonderful Lenten meal, of delicious Middle Eastern foods and desserts...the hospitality shown was excellent, and ALL of the various Eastern Orthodox priests and laity who visited thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

It does not take much to be welcoming to guests in our parishes, and to realize when someone is new that added help finding pages, and an invitation to coffee and sharing conversation about our faith is a wonderful way to reach out to people.

Gaudior, thinking of entertaining angels unaware.

Dan,

I missed the testimony, but heard all about it. We were in the kitchen making pancakes.

You're right, we should go door-to-door. People are looking for God -- there is no doubt about that. We should not be afraid to evangelize those around us. The heretics and heathen have no fear spreading their minimalist, secular messages. We have the ultimate Truth, yet we cower in the corners of the world.

A quarterly mailer is an excellent idea. Post cards are relatively low cost too. It would be a good way to begin to build a mission outreach in the western suburbs.

John

P.S. I can't wait for the radiant joy of Pascha!

Dan,

I am also a convert, who has had a great amount of welcome into the Byzantine tradition. I think, however, the answer depends upon where, and when. I have known of several parishes which are not very welcoming, and even have caused people to turn away. This is true in many Eastern parishes, and it seems to me, this happens when the parish becomes a "nationalistic society meeting" more thna a church. This is not to say that we should forget the traditions of the homelands from which our churches came from; they should be remembered and revered -- but, it should always be within the context of the overall Christian faith which is open to new-comers, to strangers.

I was quite lucky, being in Indiana, and being very welcome at St Athanasius. Then, when I moved to Cincinnati, Dayton's parish also had the same openness -- and desire for more parishoners.

Moving to Washington DC, St Gregory of Nyssa is also very welcome to newcomers.

Despite this, I do wonder, what kind of overall reaction I will recieve one day -- when all my studies are done, and I am finally stable and teaching at some university. I know I defend myself, based upon Eastern history -- my direction and studies lead me to a more esoteric side of our tradition, however, and I know many will be uncomfortable with me representing the theology of the East. From the Sophiologists of the 20th century, to the Platonists like Bessarion and Plethon, there is a side to the East which has, to date, been ignore in the US. It is the tradition I have found myself, academically, following.

Will I recieve as welcome a greeting, when I am more well known? I hope so. But, I can also tell you -- there seems to be, in the East (Orthodox, Catholicism) a "nationalism" combined with a "fundamentalism of sorts" (which is why we attract many traditionalists) which, I think, needs to be addressed. Many great Orthodox theologians in the Silver Age of Russian theology were addressing this -- but their tradition was suppresed, not only by the Communists, but sadly, also by their fellow theologians. I have to say, I think the "unwelcome nature" of some in the East to converts -- and strangers -- is the fruit of this rejection. I just hope, as many others hope, this will be reversed before we die out.

I hope this brief rambling makes some sense -- it is all "stream of consciousness" -- but I wanted to say some things on this important topic.